Toothbrush



June 7, 1932. I 1 B. J. HERGE'1' 1,862,141

TOOTHBRUSH Filed Aug. 10. 1928 ATTORN EYS Patented June 7, 1932 unrre nsraras earner crates BEN J. HERGET, or sr. Louis, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEY ASSIGNMENTS, 'ro THE OLEAN-BE-TWEEN roorrrnnusn CORPORATION, A oonronarroiv on DELAWARE v TOOTHBRUSI-I App1icati0n filed August 10, 1928. Serial No. 298,763.

This invention relates to tooth brushes of the adjustable and removable type, and particularly to an improved clamping handle, adapted to be used with an adjustable and removable brush head.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved tooth brush, the handle of which is equipped with clamping means of few component parts, which is inexpensive in con-- struction, and arranged for ease of manipulation; the clamping means being provided for holding, in adjustable and detachable engagement, a brush head having a projecting element, for effecting an operative union with 1 the handle.

A further object is to provide a tooth brush construction including a frictional clamping mechanism, with means for enclosing such mechanism against the entrance of foreign Z0 matter, and to avoid any possibility of abrasion of the oral cavity by exposed clamping elements.

Further objects and advantages will appear from the following detailed description of parts and the accompanying drawing, in

which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an illustrative embodiment of my invention; Figs. 2 and 3 show, respectively, a sectional elevation and a plan view, clearly illustrating the construction of the brushholding elements; Fig. 4

is a transverse section through the clamping member along the line 44 of the construction shown in Fig. 3.

Referring by numerals to the drawing, 5

- represents a gripping portion of the handle which is shown in Fig. 1 as being substantially flat, and curved at the outer end to conform to the hand of the user; this portion of the handle may, however, be of entirely straight construction, and of any desired shape and material. Rigidly and preferably permanently secured to one end of the portion 5,

or formed as an integral part thereof to complete the handle structure, is an elongated metal ferrule 6 having a longitudinal internal bore 7 adapted to receive the clamping element 8, which element, preferably formed of heavy gage resilient metal, is curved at one end to form a loop 9 for the detachable engagement of the brush'bymeans of a stud 10, (Fig. 1) The arms or ends of the loop member taper inwardly, or toward the handle, and

the adjacent mating surfaces ofthe arms are V v flattened to permit their lying in close con,- tact within the circular opening of the ferrule 6. By this construction, I provide. a

closure for the bore 7 in the vicinityof the 7 brush head, where foreign matter would otherwise be apt to lodge. One end-or arm of the clamping-member, such as 11, is rela tively shorter than the other arm 12, the short arm extending, necessarily, only a-short dis: tance into the ferrule." The other or longer arm 12 is threaded for engagement with the internally threaded portion 13- of the metal ferrule 6. The arms 11 and 12 are rounded into a common portion near their outer extremities to form the recited loop 9, which is respect to the clamping member and brushhead, the clamping member will be extended sufficiently, for the loop'9 and arms 11 and 12 to release the brush-head, for free, adjustable rotation to any desired angular setting. slight tightening rotation of the handle, again serves to maintain the adjusted angular setting of the brush-head and handle.

A slightly greater releasing rotation ofthe handle, serves to free the brush-head entirely from the loop 9, and permits the ready insertion of a replacement brush element.

' A marked objection to prevailing brush clamps for purposes analogous to that of the present construction, is the fact that such elampsare often exposed, and the brush'assembly so made as to provide recesses prone to become filled with dentifrice, saliva and the like; Such constructions are unsanitary unless carefully cleansed and sterilized, part by part. In the present novel brush structure, it will be seen that the clamping mechanism is entirely shrouded, that the end of brush head, a pair of resilient arms, disposed,

injtape'red relation and coacting to provide a smooth portion of circular section operable within and constituting a closure for the open end of the bore, one of said arms terminating inwardly of and adjacent to the open end of the bore, the other arm having a threaded portion extending a substantial distance within the bore of the handle, adapted for threadedly connecting it tothe brush, the threaded portions of the handle and last named arm adapted to coact upon rotational movement of the handle to permit an angular adjustment of the brush head and to permit removal and replacement thereof.

2. In a tooth brush structure, a handle having an axial bore, the innermost portion of which is provided with threads, a clamping element for pivotally receiving a brush head, said element including a threaded portion at one end, a circular loop portion at the opposite end, the loop portion extended into a pair of resilient tapered clamping arms disposed in converging relation from the loop portion toward said bore, each ofsaid arms having a portion of half-round section coacting to present a portion of circular section and smooth exterior'adapted to be extended into a circular end opening of the axial bore in said handle, and adapted to serve as a closure for said opening and boreadjacent the brush head one of said arms terminating inwardly of the bore adjacent to the said end opening, and the other arm constituting the threaded portion of the clamping element, .andextending inwardly of the bore into engagement with the threaded por tion thereof.

8. In a tooth brush structure, a brush head provided with an upstanding clamp-receiving stud, a handle having a tapered extension provided with an exteriorly-opening longitudinal bore of circular cross-section, the innermost portion thereof being internally face, a clamping element adapted to connect the handle and brush, and comprising a circular loop adapted to engage the stud on said bush head and a pair of diverging arms adapted to extend into the longitudinal bore of the handle and forminga smooth portlon conforming substantially with said bearing surface and adapted as a closure for the exterior opening of the bore, one of said arms 7 threaded, and the portion nearest the brush head forming a smooth internal bearing sur- 

